McIlvaine Coronavirus Market Ale

Mask Webinar on Thursday will be Part of a Decision Guide for Immediate Action on Effective Masks

Mask Regulation Challenge Similar to That for Automobile Safety but in Weeks not Decades

Media Supply Capabilities

Some Thermal Imagers Already Recognize Face Masks

How About the Temperature Scanners Presently Being Used

Thermal Imaging of Mask Leakage During Pressure-Controlled Ventilation (BIPAP Therapy)

Mask Webinar on Thursday will be Part of a Decision Guide for Immediate Action on Effective Masks

Many important decisions need to be made about masks now not weeks or months from now. There is now consensus that more effective masks are needed.

Thousands of people wearing inefficient cloth masks will die each week because they did not know the importance of wearing effective masks and were not provided with a guide for purchasing them.

The ASTM standard will be an important element of a guide. But it is not scheduled to be published until sometime in February and it is unclear when labels will start appearing on masks.

Action can be taken immediately to educate the public and supply them with effective masks. The webinar on Thursday will bring together people with the insights and capability to accelerate this initiative.

We invite you to join us at 10:AM CST on Thursday, January 21 and also to make relevant comments or ask questions. You can register at

Mask Regulation Challenge Similar to That for Automobile Safety but in Weeks not Decades

Masks are just as much of a necessity as are cars. We would like our cars to be as comfortable and attractive as possible. But can you imagine a regulatory environment such as in 1915 with no stop signs, drivers licenses or concerns about safe designs. The death rate in 1915 per passenger mile would be the equivalent of millions of deaths per year today.

The mask initiative is equivalent to the modern auto industry without safety standards or any road safety regulations.

The 1915 advertisements for this slick looking automobile are similar to the ones for most masks sold today.

Today there are rigid requirements including seat belts and licenses. No one is arguing that these protective measures are not required. There will be a similar evolution in mask wearing except that it has to happen in weeks not decades.

In 1923, the first year miles driven was estimated, the motor-vehicle death rate was 18.65 deaths for every 100 million miles driven. Since 1923, the mileage death rate has decreased 93% and now stands at 1.22 deaths per 100 million miles driven.

U.S. death rates are around 36,000 per year. If we had maintained the 1923 safety standard there would be three million deaths per year. Would anyone argue that the standards were not necessary?

The COVID death toll has risen to a level which is 20 times higher than the auto death rate. This justifies standards which have the same impact on deaths as auto standards.

The FFE 90 mask is equivalent to the present 1.22 deaths per 100 million miles while the ASTM 50 is closer to the 18.65 deaths per 100 million miles. The cloth masks are closer to the rate for motorcyclists.

Gearing up to meet any mask demand is a function of media availability and not mask machines or production lines. Mask makers have shown the capability to build lines within weeks. However, it can take six months to build a meltblown line making spunbond, meltblown, spunbond laminates.

A ton of meltblowns will make 350,000 N95 masks or 1 million surgical masks. Here is a chart from our Alert a few months ago showing Chinese face mask production at 150 tons per day.

Meltblown Production in tons per day
Sector	Total	Face Mask	Filter and Other
U.S. April 15 up 23% (but maybe only face mask)	750?	10	741?
U. S Jan 1	680	2	675
3M April 1 2020 (includes U.S. import)		15
3M June 1 U.S. only		5
China and Taiwan Mask Import to U.S. Jan 1 80% including 3M		5
China Jan 1	146	30
China Government Controlled Jan 1	42	42?
Sinopec April 1	18	18
China April 1	300	150
China Government Controlled Including Sinopec April 1	75	75?

So this is some combination of up to 52.5 million N95 masks or 150 million surgical masks per day. If there are 100 million surgical masks per day then yearly production is 36.5 billion. Most U.S. meltblown production is still for products other than masks. The U.S. has ramped up production but it still is a fraction of the Chinese production. World production may be 50 billion meltblown masks per year or 6.2 masks for every person on earth.

If each person wore a surgical mask for two months the present capacity would be sufficient. If the surgical mask with an essential brace can provide FFE 90 efficiency with limited use, what will be the efficiency after 60 days. Let’s use the comparative chart for various efficiencies as a reference point. Would efficiency be reduced to the ASTM 50 level or to that of cloth masks?

Most surgical masks are replaced due to contamination. We pointed out in an Alert last week that a nurse in a COVID unit would be exposed to the same viral load in an hour as would the average office worker in 100 days in a non-peak pandemic period. Blood splashes are also unlikely. Masks can be rotated instead of spray, H2O2, or UV cleaning which also extends life.

Nanofibers can be sufficiently efficient to meet the ASTM 50 requirements and certainly the ASTM 20. This media is more easily cleaned and is widely available.

The conclusion is that everyone can be protected very quickly. This can probably be at the FFE 90 level but if not at the ASTM 50 level which would represent an 85% virus reduction.

Sabrina Paseman, CEO of Fix The Mask has provided additional information on the essential brace. “Our most relevant video will be this one: https://youtu.be/Vd_5yU5uobA”

A sample scaling plan is below. Both LSR and compression molding are viable manufacturing processes to manufacture this product, and many vendors have this capability. Below is the potential if we bring up just eight additional such vendors.

Since these braces are reusable it is possible to meet the demand. At three million mask braces close to 1% of the U.S. population could be supplied with masks each week just with the present vendors. Given the ease of manufacture this rate can be quickly expanded to meet whatever demand is needed.

Jabil says “ we strive to make ANYTHING POSSIBLE and EVERYTHING BETTER. With over 260,000 diverse, talented, and dedicated employees across 100 locations in 30 countries, our vision is to be the most technologically advanced and trusted manufacturing solutions provider. We combine an unmatched breadth and depth of end-market experience, technical and design capabilities, manufacturing know-how, supply chain insights and global product management expertise to enable success for the world’s leading brands. We are driven by a common purpose to make a positive impact for each other, our communities, and the environment.

“As of September 2020, about 90% of PPE in the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile had already been distributed to state and local governments. And it’s estimated that 129 billion (with a B!) disposable face masks are being used every month around the world. (This number has popped up in various articles. But if true represents 16 masks per person or one every two days. McIlvaine estimates a lower number. McIlvaine estimates an average of 0.6 surgical masks per person per month. Most cheap cloth masks are reused.)

To respond to this need for our own Jabil employees and the communities where we operate, Jabil and our medical device subsidiary, NP Medical, have been manufacturing high performance face masks at several facilities. Applying our expertise, automation, and dedication to quality, we have the capacity to make and ship millions of masks each month.

In the U.S., Jabil has launched a substantial face mask manufacturing operation to address the demand for face masks and other PPE. There is an eagerness and urgency within the country to support re-opening in parallel with the benefits forthcoming from effective vaccination programs.

Jabil factories in Memphis, Tennessee and Gurnee, Illinois are producing masks – an operation which will scale to a target of 1.6 million single-use face masks per day. Jabil’s scale and expertise provides a path forward and, if needed, can ramp up to manufacturing over two billion face masks per year.

In highest use among frontline medical workers are the disposable blue face masks or surgical masks. The NP Medical nPro™ surgical masks are designed to protect both patients and healthcare worker from the transfer of microorganisms, blood and body fluids and airborne particulates. They are 3-ply disposable masks with comfortable, adjustable elastic ear loops.

Last week we proposed inserting LED lights inside masks to check fit. This week we looked at thermal imaging after a recommendation from Erick Couch and were surprised to learn that it already has been evaluated and recommended for use in airports as well as medical clinics.

For those of you who subscribe to Coronavirus Technology Solutions we have been covering thermal imaging for temperature detection. One major supplier is FLiR.

... twice in the two weeks since he installed the cameras, which are made by FLiR, a company that specializes in thermal imaging cameras. There has been a dramatic ...

Terms matched: 1 - Score: 18 - 29 Apr 2020 - URL: http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/coronavirus/subscriber/Alerts/2020-04-22/Alert_20200422.html

The research relative to mask leakage is analyzed in a decade old paper “Thermal Image Analysis for Detecting Facemask Leakage Jonathan Dowdall, Ioannis Pavlidis, and James Levine Department of Computer Science, University of Houston, 501 Philip G. Hoffman Hall, Houston, TX 77204-3010 # Division of Endocrinology Department of Internal Medicine Endocrine Research Unit Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN 5590.

Approved facemasks are typically effective physical barriers for preventing the spread of viruses through droplets, but breaches in a mask’s integrity can lead to an elevated risk of exposure and subsequent infection. Quality control mechanisms in place during the manufacturing process insure that masks are defect free when leaving the factory, but there remains little to detect damage caused by transportation or during usage. A system that could monitor masks in real-time while they were in use would facilitate a more secure environment for treatment and screening. To fulfill this necessity, we have devised a touchless method to detect mask breaches in real-time by utilizing the emissive properties of the mask in the thermal infrared spectrum. Specifically, we use a specialized thermal imaging system to detect minute air leakage in masks based on the principles of heat transfer and thermodynamics. The advantage of this passive modality is that thermal imaging does not require contact with the subject and can provide instant visualization and analysis. These capabilities can prove invaluable for protecting personnel in scenarios with elevated levels of transmission risk such as hospital clinics, border check points, and airports.

1. A Phoenix InSb 320x256 Mid-Wave IR (MWIR) Camera with Real Time Imaging Electronics (RTIE). The Phoenix Camera Head has a 320x256 Indium Antimonite (InSb) sensor on ISC9803 readout integrated circuit, which is sensitive in the 3-5 μm waveband. The RTIE provides 14-bit digital output at 12.2 MHz, with a maximum full window frame rate of 60Hz. The camera features temperature sensitivity of 0.010 C.

2. A Mid-Wave IR (MWIR) 50mm Lens, f/2.3, Si:Ge, bayonet mount; It features a motorized focusing mechanism with RS-232 interface.

3. A Santa Barbara Infrared model 2004, 4” Differential Blackbody (-150 C to 350 C delta T) with RS-232 interface. It features temperature sensitivity of 0.010 C, which matches the temperature sensitivity of the camera.

4. A Quickset Pan Tilt Head (model QPT-90/1301C) 150 lb capacity. Pan 4350 , 80 /sec. Tilt ±900 , 30 /sec. It features RS-232 interface.

From the raw thermal imagery, facial features are identified and the facial contour is defined. An algorithmic process separates the breath from the background by subtracting the exhalation image from a reference image of the subject taken during inhalation. This differencing operation enhances the contrast between breath and the rest of the background (see Fig. 5(b)). Thermal currents emanating from the facial contour are then recognized and from these images any physical breach of the mask is easily identified (Fig. 5(e)). A novel algorithm that compresses non-linearly selected portions of the color map range aids the visualization by highlighting the air-leakage (Fig. 5(f)). Fig. 5. i

We have developed a system and a method for detecting minute air leakage in face masks. The approach is based on principles of heat transfer and thermodynamics and has been implemented using a specialized thermal imaging system. We have experimented successfully with seven different subjects wearing intact and punctured masks at frontal and side views. The advantage of this approach is that thermal imaging does not require contact with the subject and can provide instant visualization and analysis. Therefore, cameras could be placed remotely in hospital clinics, at border controls, or in airports.

Many facilities use temperature scanners to determine whether someone is sick. Could they be used to detect leaks? Here is a portable one for less than $7,000 from Artemis.

DeskFlex thermal scanner and mask detection system also comes with an interactive TV screen. The interactive TV screen displays information on whether the individual can proceed to enter or not. DeskFlex can detect elevated body temperature and uncovered faces. When any of the criteria is missing, DeskFlex denies him/her of entry. Moreover, it screens people using a camera sensor allowing a contactless user authentication.

Thermal Imaging of Mask Leakage During Pressure-Controlled Ventilation (BIPAP Therapy)

Ventilatory masks are crucial for the quality of ventilation as well as for the acceptance of therapy. While a comfortable fit is important for acceptance, air-tightness of the mask will determine the quality of ventilation. As leakage quantification of BIPAP therapy has already been established, we are now introducing a method to localize such leakage.

Methods: Ventilatory masks that are not airtight will have a high flow air current in between the face mask and the facial skin. This current will result in a drop in temperature of the skin surface already after a few minutes in the leaking area. Thermography (NEC TH 71 thermal imager) can localize these skin areas and thus the corresponding areas of the mask.

Results: Existing leakages were detected in every case. The regional decrease in skin temperature turned out to be 3–5°C. In the case of individual masks, the leaking part of the mask was clearly detected for further revision by the dental technician. Refinement of the mask resulted in satisfactory air-tightness and good quality of ventilation.

Discussion: While instituting BIPAP therapy thermographic leak imaging appears to be an efficacious method that enlarges the methodological inventory for leakage evaluation. Especially for the manufacturer of individual masks, exact leak detection will result in a successful solution for the patient, the physician, and the dental technician. The disadvantages of this method are that it is quite costly and that deficient consideration was given that different body positions might have a variable impact on leakage.

Individual respiratory protective devices and face masks represent critical tools in protecting health care workers in hospitals and clinics and play a central role in decreasing the spread of the high-risk pandemic infection of 2019, coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The aim of the present study was to compare the facial skin temperature and the heat flow when wearing medical surgical masks to the same factors when wearing N95 respirators. A total of 20 subjects were recruited and during the evaluation, each subject was invited to wear a surgical mask or respirator for one hour. The next day in the morning at the same hour, the same subject wore a N95 mask for one hour with the same protocol. Infrared thermal evaluation was performed to measure the facial temperature of the perioral region and the perception ratings related to the humidity, heat, breathing difficulty, and discomfort were recorded. A significant difference in heat flow and perioral region temperature was recorded between the surgical mask and the N95 respirator (p < 0.05). A statistically significant difference in humidity, heat, breathing difficulty, and discomfort was present between the groups. The study results suggest that N95 respirators are able to induce an increased facial skin temperature, greater discomfort and lower wearing adherence when compared to the medical surgical masks.

The McIlvaine takeaway from this is that while the study focused on discomfort as a function of skin temperature the big variable is leakage. So the approach might be quite valid for determining mask fit.

Insider has been rating popular masks. Criteria are absent filter efficiency and fit estimates . McIlvaine has added some additional information. Twenty-two masks are included in the analysis. We are including two here and will cover the others in later Alerts.

A couple of us on the Insider team decided to test these Graf Lantz masks after we kept seeing ads for them on social media. We spent most of the pandemic convinced that Vida's masks were the absolute best you could buy, but these ones are even better. The nose bridge is made from a thick, flexible strip rather than a wire, so you get a better fit and no glasses fog or rogue wires poking through the fabric. The elastic ear bands are also adjustable, and the mask is made from multiple layers of material to adhere to CDC guidance. The construction is such that you have more breathing room, and the mask doesn't feel suffocating in the least. It also has room for filters.

They come in two sizes, regular and petite, and a cotton or linen finish. My partner and I got a couple of each size and material, and we recommend that most people get the petite size. The regular size is really more for people with large heads or faces (it's probably especially great for people with beards). — Sally Kaplan, senior editor

· Fits inside the Zenbu Regular and Petite, Anshin and Shinyu mask filter pocket.

· Made of activated carbon and non-woven melt-blown filter cloth protecting from a range of airborne contaminants.

Since meltblowns are used the filter could be efficient. There is no precise fit information although they cite the thick flexible strip nose bridge as providing a tight fit.

“I've really loved these Vida Protective Masks. I bought them after including them in an article about face masks made by retailers because they seemed to be the best marriage of affordability, quantity, and efficacy thanks to multiple layers of fabric, adjustable ear straps, and features such as a high silhouette and a wire bridge along the nose. They also have pockets for filters — which are included with your purchase.

“I ordered in the heyday of mask-buying in April, and I received them a month later (unprompted, the company offered me the option of a shipping refund or to donate a mask to a charity as an apology). During the wait, I bought a few from Etsy, but the Vida ones are definitely superior; they cover more surface area, sit more securely on my face, and create a better seal all over. In the months since, I've ordered more for my family and received them within a week.” —Mara Leighton, senior reporter

“I've tried a few different cloth face masks, and I agree with Mara's comments above: Vida's masks are comfortable, fit my face more securely than others, and come in a nice range of simple colors and good fabrics.” —Malarie Gokey, deputy editor

“I suppose I'm not surprised to see that quite a few of my coworkers are also fans of this mask — we are, after all, a group of product reviewers obsessed with finding the best versions of everything. My partner and I are both big fans of these Vida masks for their lightweight fabric, filter options, and the adjustability features mentioned above.” — Sally Kaplan, senior editor

Protective Masks are made of 2 layers of 100% cotton, adapt to different sizes with adjustable straps and feature a hidden metal nose-piece to ensure a snug fit. 5-layered PM2.5 activated carbon filter with 2 layers of meltblown polypropylene included.